For Your Best Friend An Embroidered Dog Collar

Many pet owners love the idea of having something personal they can give to their dog or cat. Although most house pets wear a collar, the majority of dog and cat collars are purchased already made. This is certainly the most convenient approach but for a crafty dog owner they may want to consider making their own embroidered dog collars.

Learning needlepoint is relatively easy. For someone who has never attempted it all of the stitches, threads and various fabrics can be a bit intimidating. However, with just a few minutes of instruction you can be on your way to making embroidered dog collars.

The first step is finding a suitable pattern. Some dog owners choose collars that incorporate their dog's pertinent information right into the embroidered dog collars. This means the dog doesn't have to wear tags anymore as its name and the owner's contact information is embroidered right into the design of the collar. Some owners aren't comfortable with the idea of having their telephone number or address displayed in such clear view so this design may not be right for them.

You can certainly purchase patterns that would look ideal on a collar or you can design your own. Once you understand the basics of how embroidery works it's easy to begin creating your own designs. This is especially true if you want to use cross-stitching to create embroidered dog collars. Cross-stitching is a very simple needlepoint technique that takes no time at all to learn.

Dogs tend to get into trouble in the way of dirt and grime. Therefore it's a good idea to place a plastic coating over the finished embroidered dog collars. These can usually be found at craft stores or if you can't locate one there, you can certainly purchase a clear dog collar that you can use to cover the embroidered design.

They can also be hand washed in a very mild detergent and then hung to dry. You don't want to throw embroidered dog collars in the washing machine as there is a risk that the colors of the threads can bleed together, which essentially ruins the design.

Patience is often called a virtue and some individuals don't seem to have as much as others. For them purchasing embroidered dog collars is more appealing than going through the trouble of making their own. There are many pet stores that sell a good selection of these types of collars. Also flea markets and craft fairs often yield many handmade items for pets including embroidered dog collars, coats and booties for the family canine.